VideoStudio 10+ - Removing or Resizing Preview Window?

[KugarWeb]

Hi there,

I was wondering it would be possible to remove or at least resize my Preview Window within VideoStudio 10+ as I find it very annoying that when trying to edit videos down to the millisecond that Ulead is unable to keep a steady preview without juttering and it is especially unnerving as I don't know if the video captured properly.

Is there an easy way of doing this? I have already tried dropping the quality at which it previews at, as well as optiming my PC as much as possible for video editing sessions, although it does not seem to have worked and I am fairly sure this is down to previews of the video sucking up my memory.

[Ken Berry]

Not that I've ever hear of.

But I guess that this begs the question of what you currently have your Playback option set to in File > Preferences > General. Normally it would be set to Instant Playback which is good enough for general purposes. I am a little surprised about your complaint about juddering. I have lots of complaints about the preview window, but not that particular one, and our computers are pretty similar in capacity (look at my System button below).

First, ensure that all unnecessary background programs are switched off. If you turn off your internet connection, you can also disconnect your anti-virus. Some people even set up a special profile just for video editing, which minimises all background programs and processes while you are editing.

Next, you might want to change Playback to High Quality instead of Instant. But be warned that this will add considerably to the time it takes VS to show you are preview, because in effect it is rendering the project into a temp file which will equate to the final quality.

Another question is also begged. If you succeeded in removing the preview window, how would you do your editing anyway? What would your be using as your playback target? Some people successfully hook up to a second monitor to preview their project full screen. But I guess yet a third question to be begged is that if the small preview window in VS judders, wouldn't it also judder in a bigger screen?

It would be also useful if you could tell us the properties of the video you are editing, and where they came from.

[KugarWeb]

Not that I've ever hear of.

First, ensure that all unnecessary background programs are switched off. If you turn off your internet connection, you can also disconnect your anti-virus. Some people even set up a special profile just for video editing, which minimises all background programs and processes while you are editing.

Next, you might want to change Playback to High Quality instead of Instant. But be warned that this will add considerably to the time it takes VS to show you are preview, because in effect it is rendering the project into a temp file which will equate to the final quality.

Another question is also begged. If you succeeded in removing the preview window, how would you do your editing anyway? What would your be using as your playback target?

Okay well I've taken a strict diet to my Windows XP and it seems to have improved. I have kept the video quality to Instant Playback which is fine just for editing purposes as I always test the DVD afterwards anyway.

If I were to remove the preview window, hopefully I would be able to play back just the audio as much of my work is done using this. However, if there was an option to downsize the preview window at least this would possibly be the best option.

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To be honest though, I do believe that much of the performance of my computer is lost when I'm capturing movies so the Premiere-idea of previewing the clip ONLY on the camcorder seems a lot better although I do find this a more complicated program to use in general.

Really my next question is if there is an option just to ditch the preview window whilst capturing and preview the captured material on the camcorder's screen - although I feel this is a long shot?

[Ken Berry]

I don't think you can close the VS preview screen for any purpose, period. However, while I am not sure that switching the Preview Target in File > Preferences to 'DV camcorder' works during capture to cut out the VS preview screen, you might want to try that. It should certainly work, though, for preview after capture.

Does the juddering also occur during capture?

For captures from your Sony DCR-HC85E, you could try a small, free and usually trouble free program a number of us here use, called WinDV, which essentially does one thing (capture DV) but does it well. It has a preview window but usually works trouble (and judder) free. If you have a bad preview in that, then the problem is not with VS. Download it from windv.mourek.cz

Last year, I installed both a new graphics card and a new Firewire capture card on my video computer. Captures before that were as smooth as silk, with the Firewire port being on an analogue TV capture card which I had to replace. The new digital card did not have a Firewire port so I had to install an entire Firewire card. Easy. But the captures were fairly awful to look at (even using WinDV), though oddly enough, after capture, were fine, including in preview. In the end, I moved the Firewire card up a couple of slots on the motherboard to make it first card closest to the processor. And the juddering capture previews stopped.

As for your HD camera, I don't know what to suggest, though some people with different cameras apparently use another freeware program called HD-Split or something like that. Hopefully someone with more HD experience will jump in here.

[KugarWeb]

Hi again, sorry for the delay in replying - University work has had to take priority over the past couple of weeks and I've only just got to getting back into editing this video down again

However, while I am not sure that switching the Preview Target in File > Preferences to 'DV camcorder' works during capture to cut out the VS preview screen, you might want to try that. It should certainly work, though, for preview after capture.

This is something I did try but it didn't seem to make any difference to anything at all I'm guessing it was to work, it would just capture and display a preview of the capturing material on the camcorder's screen much like a few of the rival products.

Does the juddering also occur during capture?

Yes, although it seems to happen at random points in the video which I cannot understand. I know it's nothing to do with the tape or camcorder itself because when I try to capture the same video it rolls straight over that part again just fine Such as tonight, I captured 2 HD videos just fine and then 29 seconds into the 3rd video capture, it juddered and the preview skipped a few seconds...plus the audio stopped for a few seconds so I had an idea it was a dudd even without playing back

For captures from your Sony DCR-HC85E, you could try a small, free and usually trouble free program a number of us here use, called WinDV, which essentially does one thing (capture DV) but does it well. It has a preview window but usually works trouble (and judder) free. If you have a bad preview in that, then the problem is not with VS. Download it from windv.mourek.cz

Thanks for this tip. Unfortunately I should really remove that from my signature, since it's not very reliable after a problem with tapes loading and coming up with errors, although it does act as an emergency camera sometimes - or maybe if a Standard Definition two-camera edit was ever needed

Last year, I installed both a new graphics card and a new Firewire capture card on my video computer. Captures before that were as smooth as silk, with the Firewire port being on an analogue TV capture card which I had to replace. The new digital card did not have a Firewire port so I had to install an entire Firewire card. Easy. But the captures were fairly awful to look at (even using WinDV), though oddly enough, after capture, were fine, including in preview. In the end, I moved the Firewire card up a couple of slots on the motherboard to make it first card closest to the processor. And the juddering capture previews stopped.

That's kind of what I can't understand, since I have been able to do a lot of video work with this new HD camera without any problems but now it's causing VideoStudio 10+ to crash or become very unstable some of the time (juddery video ). Is a fresh re-install of VS10+ in order?

As for your HD camera, I don't know what to suggest, though some people with different cameras apparently use another freeware program called HD-Split or something like that. Hopefully someone with more HD experience will jump in here.

I will be looking into this program over the next few days to hopefully sort something out - thanks for the tip!!

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I think to be honest using an external program for my capturing is the only way to go since unfortunately, even though my computer has gone on a massive crash diet, it's still not stable.

I've currently got a Hardware Profile setup purely for video, but I'm wondering, does the other Hardware Profile (I have 2 running) interfere in any way even though it only loads one on startup?